Bob Cranshaw

Melbourne R. "Bob" Cranshaw (born on 10 December 1932 in Evanston, Illinois) is an American jazz bass guitarist. His career spans the heyday of Blue Note Records to his recent involvement with the Musicians Union.

Cranshaw appeared as a sideman on three seminal jazz recordings: "The Sidewinder" with Lee Morgan, "Idle Moments" with Grant Green, and "The Bridge" with Sonny Rollins, with whom he has maintained a long musical association.

Although he lacks the name recognition of other bassists, Cranshaw has performed and recorded with a wide range of leading jazz artists, including Ella Fitzgerald, Dexter Gordon, Grant Green, Coleman Hawkins, Jimmy Heath, Joe Henderson, Johnny Hodges, Freddie Hubbard, Bobby Hutcherson, J. J. Johnson, Jackie McLean, Hank Mobley, Thelonious Monk, James Moody, Lee Morgan, Wes Montgomery, Oscar Peterson, Buddy Rich, George Shearing, Wayne Shorter, Horace Silver, Shirley Scott, Stanley Turrentine, McCoy Tyner, George Benson and Joe Williams, among many others.

Along with Wes Montgomery's brother Monk, Cranshaw was among the early jazz bassists to trade his upright bass for an electric bass. Cranshaw was criticized for this by jazz purists, although he was forced to switch by a back injury incurred in a serious auto accident.

During the 1960s and 70s Cranshaw played on "Sesame Street". Throughout his long and distinguished career he has also performed on hundreds of television shows and film and television scores. He appears on "The Blue Note Story", a 90-minute documentary of the famed jazz label.

Cranshaw was also a founding member of the short-lived MJT +3 (Modern Jazz Trio) that included Frank Strozier on alto saxophone, Harold Mabern on piano and Walter Perkins on drums. The Chicago-based group produced several albums, a number for Vee Jay Records. Another vintage Cranshaw jam, 1964's "Blue Flames", featuring Shirley Scott, Stanley Turrentine and Otis Finch, was recorded for Prestige Records. Cranshaw also played live shows for tap dancer Maurice Hines, along with friend and drummer Paul Goldberg.

Bob Cranshaw is one of the great living American jazz musicians like Sonny Rollins and Lou Donaldson who have made lasting contributions to jazz as an artform in the 50s and 60s and continue through the years to enrich America's musical heritage.

elect discography

With Maurice Hines
*"Maurice Hines: To Nat "King" Cole With Love" (Arbors Records)